SCADA Protocols

Overview of DNP3
By Michael LeMay

Introduction

DNP3 used for communications between SCADA masters (control centres) and remote terminal units (RTUs) and/or intelligent electronic de ices (!"Ds)
DNP# Distributed Networ$ Protocol SCADA# Su%er isor& Control And Data Ac'uisition

Protocol defined in ()asic *+ document set from DNP Users ,rou% )ased on !"C -./0.123 !nternational counter%art# !"C -./0.1214.4

Protocol Overview

Protocol Participants

SCADA 5aster Stations/Control centres

Connected to 65! and ot7er control centres !nterface between !"Ds and master stations 5a& e87ibit limited autonomous control Sensors and meters Rela&s and ot7er actuators Programmable 9ogic Controllers# P9Cs

Remote terminal units

!ntelligent electronic de ices

SCADA Master Basics

Control centre from w7ic7 multi%le substations or ot7er remote installations are controlled and monitored Connected to ot7er control centres using !CCP: a se%arate %rotocol !nterfaces wit7 7uman t7roug7 65! (6uman1 5ac7ine !nterface): w7ic7 ma& be local or remote3 Connected to RTUs and/or !"Ds

Sa ple SCADA Masters

<ater SCADA 65!

;orean control center

!"# Basics

Remote Terminal Unit A%%ears as !"D to SCADA master w7en DNP used for communications 5anages multi%le actual !"Ds Attac7ed !"Ds referenced using absolute addressing sc7eme Addresses onl& 7a e meaning to SCADA master

Sa ple !"#s
Radio RTU Cellular RTU

Serial RTU

I$D Basics

!ntelligent "lectronic De ice 5a& be data ac'uisition de ice onl& 5a& be res%onsible for control Possible in%uts# configuration: setting: and command data Possible out%uts# alues: conditions: status: and results 5a& be P9Cs %rogrammed wit7 ladder logic

Sa ple I$Ds%PLCs
Programmable 9ogic Controller (P9C)

!ntelligent "lectronic De ice (!"D)

Para eters

!"Ds and RTUs can control and monitor a ariet& of %7&sical %rocesses and ot7er information#

Accumulate measurements li$e $ilowatt 7our consum%tion 5onitor oltage and current 5onitor tem%eratures (useful for automaticall& controlling
tunnel fires)

Switc7 electrical brea$ers on and off Transfer configuration files to/from SCADA master

DNP3 Protocol Standard

T7e DNP3 %rotocol standard defines se eral as%ects of SCADA 5aster1RTU/!"D communications#

=rame and message formats P7&sical la&er re'uirements 4>.. b%s? )us& lin$ indicator for collision a oidance Data1lin$ la&er be7a ior frame segmentation Transmission retr& algorit7m A%%lication la&er file transfer time s&nc7roni@ation start/sto% ser ice

Protocol Basics

)uilt on AS! la&ers 4:>:0 A%%lication Presentation Session Trans%ort Networ$ Data 9in$ P7&sical

!"C ("n7anced Performance Arc7itecture+

Basic Messa&e Brea'down

Protocol !e(uire ents

Com%onents o%erate in 7ars7 en ironments Protocol designed for reliabilit& No confidentialit& or integrit& c7ec$s e8%licitl& included

!e()* +Data Security,

Correct data transmission re'uired in %resence of#

"5!# "lectromagnetic interference Differences in eart7 %otential Aging com%onents At7er sources of noise and disturbance along transmission %at7

!e()* Data Security -cont).

Protection e8%licitl& afforded against#

Undetected bit errors Undetected frame errors caused b& s&nc7roni@ation errors Undetected loss of information ,ain of unintended information

Simulation of alid message b& noise

/or More Info)))

DNP was originall& de elo%ed b& ,"16arris Canada in 4BB. and released in 4BB3 Now managed b& t7e DNP Users ,rou%# 7tt%#//www3dn%3org T7e DNP Users ,rou% includes master station: RTU and !"D endors: and re%resentati es of t7e electric utilit& and s&stem consulting communities3 !""" Std3 430B1>... %ro ides modern im%lementation best %ractices 5& SCADA 9in$s# 7tt%#//tin&url3com/d't>8